Stories about Governance from March, 2009
India, Bangladesh: Frail Relations
Vinod Joseph at Desicritics asks “Why aren't Indo-Bangla ties warmer?”
China: Names to be remembered
The death toll and identity details of school children victims in the May 12 Wenchuan earthquake last year has been sealed in a black box by Chinese government officials, like a state secret. Last December, Ai Wei-wei, a most respectable intellectual and blogger, decided to compile the names of school...
Pakistan Day And The Lawyers’ Movement
Pakistanis celebrated Pakistan day yesterday. Chapaty Mystery discussed the significance of the day and mentioned how the recent successful lawyers’ movement has provided “an opportunity for Pakistan to undertake a serious re-consideration of its self-conception.”
Latvia: Corruption and the New Bridge
Baltic writes about Latvia's corrupt political “elite” and its role in the scandal surrounding the construction of a new bridge in Riga.
Hungary: PM's Resignation
Coverage of the unexpected resignation of the Hungarian PM at Hungarian Spectrum – here and here; Central Europe Activ; A Fistful of Euros; Pestiside.hu; and Eternal Remont.
Maldives: Free Speech Under Threat
In early March Mohamed Nasheed, the new President of the Maldives, met with Frank La Rue, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression. In the meeting Nasheed expressed his government’s commitment to free speech and announced that Maldives will be made a haven for dissident writers from...
Trinidad & Tobago: Meaningful Art
Trin (Surviving Life in Trinidad and Tobago) is of the opinion that “while Fay Anne and other Carnival artists deserve a prize for their contributions, that prize should not be so large that it prevents the Ministry from being able to fund a balanced cross-section of artists who represent our...
Barbados: BNB & CLICO
Living in Barbados republishes a piece by a Bajan economist which suggests that the government's repurchasing of the Barbados National Bank may not be the best solution to the CLICO situation.
Nigeria: Obasanjo On Hard Talk
Read Akin's analysis of Olusegun Obasanjo's Hard Talk on BBC, ” One can say Stephen Sackur of the BBC Hard Talk programme found it hard to talk with President Olusegun Obasanjo, the erstwhile president of Nigeria on his programme…”
Bermuda: It's a Secret
“Every major government that I can think of publishes its accounting, auditing, and contracting standards. Why is Bermuda hiding behind a bureaucratic wall? You can’t have accountability if the rules themselves are held secret!”: Vexed Bermoothes wonders “if Government [is] really serious about Public Access to Information.”
Iran: Dr. Hesam Firouzi, Another Jailed Blogger
It was jailed physician and blogger, Dr. Hesam Firouzi, who recently got the word out through his lawyer about the death of blogger Omid Reza Mir Sayafi in Tehran's Evin Prison. He said he urged prison authorities to send the dying prisoner to a hospital, but they refused.
Ukraine: Ternopil Regional Council Election
Regional council election in the western Ukrainian region of Ternopil took place on March 15, following much political drama and resulting in the victory of an ultra-nationalist party and poor performance of the prime minister's bloc. Below are views of several Ukrainian bloggers on the possible reasons for such an outcome.
India's First Digital Elections
The world's largest democracy, India, goes to elections starting April 16, 2009. The month long general elections to the 15th Lok Sabha will be held in five phases on April 16, April 22, April 23, April 30, May 7 and May 13, and the results will be announced on May 16. In the first post of Global Voices special coverage on the Indian Elections 2009 we highlight the use of internet and mobile technologies in the election campaign.
Latvia: Nothing special, just crisis…
Baltic reflects on the economic crisis in Latvia, departing from the slogan “Nothing special, just crisis” – a phrase uttered by the country's former finance minister, showing what many Latvians consider an alienated political élite.
Angola: Pope is greeted by the largest crowd of his African tour
The climax of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Angola was an open-air mass this Sunday, when nearly million people from various Angolan provinces and other African countries came to Luanda to hear the mass in Cimangola, on the outskirts of Luanda. Bloggers report on the Pope's remarks during his first pilgrimage to Africa, and also on the facelift Angola was given to receive Benedict XVI.
Egypt: Arab Youth on a Presidential Mission
Egypt's first online radio - Radio Horytna - invites youth to apply for the position of President for any Arab country of their choice. Egyptian bloggers comment on the initiative in this post.
Malaysia unveils its second stimulus plan
Malaysia’s first stimulus plan last year was inadequate. So the government unveiled a second stimulus program this month. What are the reactions of Malaysian bloggers?
Egypt: Cabinet Reshuffle
Zeinobia, from Egypt, comments on recent changes in the Cabinet.
Taiwan: Diplomatic Officer's Blogposts Ignite Ethnic Controversy
Bloggers and netizens in Taiwan found that Kuo Kuan-ying, an information officer in the Taiwan diplomatic service in Toronto, who blogs under his pen name Fan Lan-chin, publishes insulting posts which has provoked more controversy and debate of Taiwan's long unsolved ethnic hatred.
India: On Electoral Process
Kartik Reddy at Read my thoughts ponders whether a change in the electoral process is required for India.
Russia: Attacks on Journalists
Sean's Russia Blog writes on two most recent attacks on journalists in Russia.
